Flashing time relay



Dec. 19, 1933. F T F REiDAY 4 1,940,586

' FLASHING TIME RELAY Original Filed March 15, 1927 3 SheetsSheet l Ema/HIM .1 IfFereda/g,

Dec. 19, 1933.- F. T. FEREDAY FLASHING TIME RELAY Original Filed March 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 si ty/M443 .ETffreday, m L0 Dec. 19, 1933. F. T. FEREDAY FLASHING TIME RELAY o i inal Filed M arch l5, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Dec. 19, 1933 PATENT OFFICE:

FLASHING TIME RELAY Frederick T. Fereday, Anchorage, Ky., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Peerless Manufacturing Corporation, a corporation of Kentucky Original application March 15, 1927, Serial No.

175,616. Divided and this application May 29, 1933. Serial No.673,542

-8 Claims. (01. 175-336) This invention relates to improvements in electrical relays, capable of various uses,--but particularly adapted for intermittently opening or closing an electrical circuit or circuits, to operate flashing signals for example, asdisclosed in my prior application, serially numbered 175,616, of which this application is a division.

An object of the invention is to provide in an electrical relay a pair of electro-magnets having parts common to one another whereby the amount of material and the number of parts required in their production is reduced to a minimum with consequent reduction in the time required for, and the costsof, manufacture; and whereby they may be constructed in exceedingly compact form.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, adjustable means of delaying the energization of my improved electro-magnets and of delaying decay of flux in the cores thereof upon deenergization;

With the foregoing and other purposes in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described,'

illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:-- 7

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an electrical relay embodying my invention;

Figure 2, a section on ure 1;

Figure 3, a diagrammatic viewillustrating the armature oscillating circuit of my relay;

Figure 4, a detail view illustrating the magnetic flux control element of my invention;

Figure 5, a diagrammatic view illustrating the the line 2'- 2 of Figsignal control circuits of my relay; and Q.

Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views 'llustrating the flux paths of the relay.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to parts by the same characters used to designate corresponding parts in my aforesaid parent application.

Thus, in the drawings, the improved relay is designated generally as B and as will be observed it includes essentially a pair of magnets comprising three cores 15, 16 and'17, connected together at-their upperends by a strap 16*, and

provided at their lower ends with pole-pieces 18,

19 and 20, respectively. The two outermost cores 15 and 17 are surrounded by windings 15 and 17, respectively, while the intermediate core is without a' winding. Said cores extend through an insulating mounting piece 1 having core plates 21, 22 of non-magnetic material fitted against the upper and lower faces thereof ,respectively, plate 22 being provided with downturned ears 23' which receive a pin or trunnion 24 of preferably mag- 00 netic material, rockably supporting a bracket 25 carrying an armature 26. On said armature is mounted, through the medium of insulating studs 27, a plurality of contact springs 28, 29 and 30, these springs constituting in effect a flasher switch which is automatically controlled by the aforesaid magnets. The ends of the springs 28, 29v and 30 are provided with contact tips adapted for cooperation with terminals 12', b and b" at one side of the unit and with terminals b b and b at the other side of the unit. When the armature is rocked in one direction electrical connections are established through the contact tips between the springs 28, 29 and 30 and the terminals b, b and b", respectively, and when the armature is rocked in an opposite direction electrical connections are established between said springs and the terminals N, b and b respectively. When the springs are connected-with either set of terminals they are disconnected from the other set. Preferably the armature is overbalanced as indicated at :r, so that when the magnets are deenergized the armature will contact with one of the pole pieces, for example with the pole piece 18, whereby the middle contact finger will engage the terminal b which is electrically connected through a conductor m with one pole of a suitable source of current, the other pole of said source of current being electrically connected through a conductor n with terminal h The 0 cores 15, 17 are wound in series, the end of the winding on core 15 being connected with conductor m and the other end of the winding, on core 17, being connected with conductor 11.. A shunting conductor 28 connects contact spring 28 with the windings 15 17 at a point between said windings.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5 of the draw-- ings it will be observed that when the armature 26 isin its normal position in contact with pole piece 18 closing of the circuit mn will result in the aforesaid magnets imparting rocking movements to said armature. That is to say, upon closing of the circuit m-n current from one pole of the source of current will flow to terminal I), which is preferably a silver contact, and from thence to the middle contact spring 28. As said spring is disengaged from-terminal b the path of least resistance for the current from spring 28 is through'the connection 28 and coil 17* back to the other pole of the source of current, coil being shunted from the circuit. Thus, the current in following this path energizes the core 17 by establishing a magnetic fiux path through said core, through the armature 26 and the pivot pin 24, and through the middle core 16 and the strap 16 as indicated by the heavy line P in Fig. '7, and causes the pole piece to attract the armature 26 and thus break the circuit between terminal b and spring 28 and establish contact between said spring and terminal 17 Immediately upon the latter condition taking place the path of least resistance for the current will be through coil 15, connection 28 spring 28 and terminal b coil 1'7 now being shunted from the circuit. As a consequence core 15 will be energized by the establishment of a magnetic flux path through said core, through the armature 26 and the pivot pin 24, and through the middle core '16 and the strap 16 ,'as indicated by the heavy line P in Fig. 6, and the pole piece 18 will be caused to attract the armature back to its first position. This action will be repeated indefinitely or as long as the circuit mn is closed, and in this connection it will be apparent that the magnetic pivot pin 24 constitutes an important element of the magnetic flux circuits in that it is in direct contact with the pole piece 19 and forms a low reluctance path for the magnetic flux between the armature 26 and the core 16.

One purpose of rocking the armature 26 may be to control circuits to a pair of signal lamps L, L whereby they will alternately be flashed. To accomplish this purpose a conductor m may be employed to connect conductor m with one of the springs 29 or 30, with spring 29 for example; a conductor 11' may be employed to connect conm may be employed to connect the other terminal of said lamp with terminal I); a conductor 1:.

may be employed to connect one terminal of the other lamp L to conductor n between lamp L I and the source of current, and a conductor 1n may be employed to connect the other terminal of said lamp L with terminal b Thus, with the armature in its normal position and the circuit m, n closed a circuit through the lamp L will be completed through conductor m, spring 29, contact b and conductors m, n, lamp L being cut out of this circuit due to spring 29 being disengaged fromcontact b On the other hand, when the armature is rocked to an opposite position establishing contact between spring 29 and contact b a circuit through lamp L will be completed through conductor m, spring 29, contact b and conductors m 11 and n, lamp L then being cut out of the circuit due to spring 29 being disengaged from contact b In the present instance, no function for the contact terminals 30 has been illustrated, but as is manifest, it may be employed for alternately closing a circuit inclusive of any desired device or devices, for example, another pair of signal 15, 16 and 1'7 by means of an adjusting screw 63 in threaded engagement with said armature and passing loosely through upstanding ear 64 on plate 21. 66 rising from plate 21 are provided to hold the ends of the armature in properly adjusted position. Armature 62 is of magntic material (iron) and offers a by-pass or shunt for the magnetic flux or lines of force, thus varying the speed of operation of the armature 26 according tothe distance between armature 62 and the cores 15, 16, 17. By adjusting the armature 62 towards the cores the speed of operation of the relay will Additional screws 65 threaded in ears be retarded and by adjusting it away from said cores the speed of operation of the relay will be increased. This is due to the fact that the armature 62 offers a by-pass for some of the magnetic flux or lines of force between the poles of the magnets as they are alternately energized, as indicated by the light lines p, p in Figs. 6 and '7, respectively. The closer said armature is positioned to the cores, the more flux will pass therethrough and the farther it is positioned from said cores the less flux will pass therethrough. Thus the strength of the magnets will be increased with movement of armature 62 away from the cores and the faster the relay will operate and vice-versa. When the winding of either magnet is shunted from the circuit, the more or less slowly decaying magnetic flux between its poles will I tend to hold armature 26 against movement until a preponderance of flux has been built up across the poles of the other magnet, whereupon armature 26 will quickly rock from one position to an opposite position. Therefore, as is obvious, armature 62 serves not only to retard energization of the respective electromagnets when they are included in the circuit, but also to retard decay of flux therein when they are shunted from the circuit.

1. An electro-magnetic device comprising a pair of electro-magnets inclusive of cores, respectively, a cooperating rockable armature, a bar of magnetizable material for cooperation with the cores of said magnets to provide a low reluctance magnetic path between the latter, the ends of said bar being disposed for movement toward and from said cores, respectively, a screw cooperating with a medial portion of the bar for bodily adjusting the same toward and from said cores, and

a a separate adjusting screw at each end of the bar cooperating therewith to rockably adjust the same to correctly dispose its ends relative to the individual cores.

2 An electro-magnetic device comprising a pair of electro-magnets inclusive of cores, respectively, a cooperating rockable armature, a bar of magnetizable material for cooperation with the cores of said magnets to provide a low reluctance magnetic path between the latter, means for adjusting said bar bodily towards and from said cores and other means at each end of the bar rockably adjusting the bar to correctly dispose its ends relative to the individual core.

3. An electro-magnetic device comprising a pair of electro-magnets inclusive of cores, respectively, a cooperating rockable armature, a bar of magnetizable material for cooperation with the cores of said magnets to provide a low reluctance magnetic path between the latter, a plate fixed with respect to said magnets, ears on said plate, a screw threaded through one of said ears and cooperating with said bar to bodily adjust the same toward and from said cores, and other screws threaded in other of said ears and cooperating with the ends of the'bar, respectively, to rockably adjust the bar to correctly dispose the ends thereof relative to the individual cores.

4. An electro-magnetic device of the character described comprising a pair of 'electro-magnets each inclusive of a core, a third core between said first mentioned cores, a member of magnetic material connecting adjacent ends of said cores, an armature, and a pin of magnetic material on which said armature is rockably mounted, said pin being disposed in contact with the third core to provide a path of low reluctance for the magnetic flux when either magnet is energized.

5. A device of the character described comprising an electro-magnet inclusive of a core element, 2, cooperating armature, and a pivot pin of magnetic material on which said armature is rockably mounted, said pin being disposed in contact with said core element to provide a path of low reluctance for the magnetic flux when the magnet is energized.

, 6. An electro-magnetic device of the character described comprising a pair of electro-magnets each inclusive of a core, a third core between said first mentioned cores, a member of magnetic material connecting adjacent ends of said cores, an armature, and a pin of magnetic material on which said armature is rockably mounted, said pin being disposed closely adjacent to the second end of the third core to provide a path of low reluctance forthe magnetic flux when either magnet is energized.

7. A device of the character described comprising an electro-magnet inclusive of a-core element, a cooperating armature, and a pivot pin of magnetic material on which said armature is rockably mounted, said pin being disposed closely adjacent to said core element to provide a path of low reluctance for the magnetic flux when the magnet is energized.

8. An electro-magnetic device of the character described comprising a pair of electro-magnets each inclusive of a core and a helix, a third metallic core Without a winding, a bar of magnetizable material arranged in cooperative relation with the wound cores to provide a path of low re- A luctance for the magnetic flux and a rocking armature adapted to alternately move toward and from the opposite wound cores and having a "metallic connection with the unwound core thereby to be included in the circuit for the magnetic flux as such circuit switches alternately from one wound core to the other.

FREDERICK '1. FEREDAY. 

